MONOMONO: Welcome to Afro-Funk

  • By Arinzechukwu Patrick

I have been vibing to this new group i discovered some time ago named “MONOMONO”, a 70s band in Nigeria. Just to let you know this is what our parents listened to in their youth, quality music that rigs of creativity and preaches revolutionary messages about where Nigeria was and is still headed. Despite a reputation as one of Nigeria’s most successful and best Afro-Beat boom bands, information about Monomono remains scarce on the Internet.

Focusing on the leader and founded of the band, Nigerian multi-instrumentalist Joni Haastrup may not be the household name Fela Kuti is, but he is as indelible a part of Afro-beat and Nigerian music as the Black President is.  Unsurprisingly, it takes direct cues from Nigerian funk overlord, Fela Kuti, who’d previously employed Monomono co-founder, Friday Jumbo, as a conguero. In fact, the album cover even offers, “thanks to brother Fela, for the little hint that did a good job.”

Growing up in a royal household in Nigeria, Joni Haastrup began his musical journey performing for his brothers band Sneakers and was quickly snapped up as a vocalist for O.J. Ekemode and his Modern Aces’ ‘Super Afro Soul’ LP, one of Afro-beat’s formative LPs.

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Joni Haastrup, Baba Kenneth Okolulo and Danjuma “Jimi Lee” Adamu

 

Joni formed MonoMono in 1971 with his friend and bassist Baba Ken Okulolo, guitarist Jimmy Adams and percussionists Candido Obajimi and Friday Jumbo.Amid the OPEC oil embargo, Watergate and IRA bombs, the sound of MonoMono’s follow-up record, 1974’s ‘Dawn of Awareness’,took on the bluesrock grooves of Santana and Hugh Masekela but with their own unique Yoruban flavor. A deeply spiritual record, ‘Dawn of Awareness’ was Haastrup’s reaction to what was going on in the world around him.

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GIVE THE BEGGAR A CHANCE

The band recorded seven original tracks for their debut LP, a drastic departure from the soul covers of the 60’s groups in Nigeria but a logical progression from the jazz-rock fusion saturating the London scene. Joni’s keys on the lush, meandering title track ‘Give the Beggar a Chance’ reminds one of Ray Manzarek (The Doors) while on ‘Kenimania’ he wails like an African counter-point to the Skatalites’ master organist Jackie Mittoo.

Written in London and recorded in Lagos, the album was released in 1972.

 

Written By Rodney Patrick

www.RodneyPatrick.Com

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